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Ed Reed is absent from first day of Ravens mandatory minicamp

Ravens safety Ed Reed has sent mixed signals about his plans to play the 2012 season, a message that got a little muddier on Tuesday.

Reed did not show up for the start of the teamís mandatory minicamp session, which puts him at risk for more than $70,000 in fines from the Ravens. Reed has not been present for the teamís voluntary offseason work either, choosing to spend time at home with his family instead of being in Maryland. According to Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times, no formal explanation for his absence is expected.

Reed said last month that he was still unsure whether or not he was going to play this season. He reversed course a couple of days later and said that he wanted to play for years. Reedís experience means that he needs this work less than other members of the team so you canít read too much into his decision not to go to minicamp.

Itís unknown whether or not the Ravens will choose to impose the fines on Reed for not appearing. The team has shown no interest in getting money back from Terrell Suggs after his injury away from the teamís facility, but this is a different situation. Coach John Harbaugh and others have expressed nothing but confidence about Reed playing in 2012, but the coach also said that he didnít think Reed would miss any mandatory work.

Heís now missing mandatory work and the Ravens are likely a little less confident about what comes next.

Reed didnít show up for a mandatory minicamp, skipping all three days. The team doesnít know why he wasnít there.

As of Wednesday night, coach John Harbaugh hadnít even spoken to the perennial Pro Bowler.

ďNo, I havenít,Ē Harbaugh said, via the Carroll County Times. ĒNot to make too much out of it, I have tremendous respect for Ed. Iíve used the word admiration. Iím not worried about Ed being ready. I said a couple of weeks ago that I know is going to be working hard and getting himself ready for the season.Ē

Itís almost as if the Ravens believe that, when itís time to play, Reed will show up and play ó but that if they say or do something to upset him, maybe he wonít.

Reed, who briefly mused about retirement several weeks ago, likely realizes that his value to the team has increased given the injury to linebacker Terrell Suggs, putting Reed in line for a new deal that provides more security beyond his current contract, which pays out $7.2 million in 2012. And he also likely wanted the Ravens to figure that out on their own, without him having to take a stand.

Now that he has, the question is whether the Ravens will conclude that they need to find a way to give Reed, a 10-year veteran, a new deal that reflects his enhanced value to the franchise, especially with Suggsí suddenly sounding less optimistic about his timetable for a return.

Reed didn’t show up for a mandatory minicamp, skipping all three days. The team doesn’t know why he wasn’t there.

As of Wednesday night, coach John Harbaugh hadn’t even spoken to the perennial Pro Bowler.

“No, I haven’t,” Harbaugh said, via the Carroll County Times. ”Not to make too much out of it, I have tremendous respect for Ed. I’ve used the word admiration. I’m not worried about Ed being ready. I said a couple of weeks ago that I know is going to be working hard and getting himself ready for the season.”

It’s almost as if the Ravens believe that, when it’s time to play, Reed will show up and play — but that if they say or do something to upset him, maybe he won’t.

Reed, who briefly mused about retirement several weeks ago, likely realizes that his value to the team has increased given the injury to linebacker Terrell Suggs, putting Reed in line for a new deal that provides more security beyond his current contract, which pays out $7.2 million in 2012. And he also likely wanted the Ravens to figure that out on their own, without him having to take a stand.

Now that he has, the question is whether the Ravens will conclude that they need to find a way to give Reed, a 10-year veteran, a new deal that reflects his enhanced value to the franchise, especially with Suggs’ suddenly sounding less optimistic about his timetable for a return.